Lady Statesmen Inch Toward League Crown
William Penn Women's Athletics
Morrison, Ill.–Another day, another two wins for the William Penn softball team as the navy and gold competed at the second Midwest Collegiate Conference Weekend Saturday.
The Lady Statesmen (32-11, 15-1 MCC) defeated St. Ambrose 5-2 and Mount Mercy 8-6. With wins over Viterbo (11 a.m.) and Ashford (1:15 p.m.) on Sunday, the program will secure at least a share of the league regular-season title. Tonight’s heavy rainfall may push back the start times of Sunday’s contests.
William Penn scored first and built a big lead before the Queen Bees (20-20, 6-9 MCC) even knew what happened. Ashlee Dennis (Fr., Loveland, Colo., Mountain View HS) scored the day’s first run off an infield single by Ashley Stream (Sr., Chariton, Chariton HS).
Stream and Brianne Rowley (Sr., Hood River, Ore., Blue Mountain CC) then touched home plate in the next at-bat on a double by KC Routos (Jr., Newcastle, Wash., Pierce CC).
Molly Miller (Jr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) made it 4-0 in the second with a single that brought in Ashley Kingery (Jr., Knoxville, Knoxville HS), while the team’s scoring concluded in the third on another RBI hit (single) by Routos that plated Khyia Lewis (Sr., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS).
Jennifer Whitehead (So., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) gave up two runs in the bottom half of the third, but that was it as she moved to 15-6. The sophomore scattered six hits and four walks, while striking out seven in the victory.
The navy and gold posted ten base knocks, including three by Routos (two doubles) and two each from Miller, Lewis, and Stream.
As expected, the second day of the game against Mount Mercy (22-15, 11-7 MCC) was a fierce battle. The Mustangs, who are currently in a fight for second in the league race, jumped out ahead with a run in the top of the first.
The Lady Statesmen answered in the bottom half, beginning with Lewis singling in Miller. Rowley then came around on a Mustang error and Lewis made it 3-1 on a Cassie Lohman (Jr., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS) single. The edge was never relinquished by the MCC’s top squad.
The programs exchanged runs later on with Lewis touching the final base on another Mount Mercy mistake.
William Penn’s lead jumped to three in the bottom of the fourth on a Rowley solo home run. The senior’s 14th of the year ties the school single-season record held by Tyanna Helton in 2010.
The Mustangs fought back with two more in the fifth to cut the score to 5-4 before the Lady Statesmen slammed the door shut with three final runs in the sixth. Lewis cleared the fences with a two-run shot (her 11th of 2012).
The Mustangs threatened in the seventh with two runs, but the game ended with William Penn picking up its 17th consecutive win. The streak is now the second-longest in school history, trailing only the 23-game stretch in 2003.
A 12-8 margin in hits was guided by Lewis’ 4-for-4 showing. Miller and Routos also produced two hits, while Rowley and Lewis both scored three times.
Amber Daly (Sr., Napa, Calif., Solano CC) took the win to move to 6-2. The senior allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits. She struck out one and walked one over five innings of work.
Nicole Danna (Jr., Boone, Iowa Central CC) relieved Daly in the sixth and struck out three in two innings to pick up her first save of 2012.
